City of Arlington nearing final decision on short-term rental rules

The Arlington City Council got an earful from residents on its proposed plan to regulate short-term rentals.

Reaction is still divided over the city's plan to limit short term home rentals like Airbnbs.

The hot button issue seems to be dividing the city.

Ed Bucci spent years searching for a quiet house on a cul-de-sac. He thought he found it a few years back when he bought a single-family home on Rockbrook Court. He says everything changed when his new next-door neighbor started using the home as a short-term rental.

“Eleven p.m., you've got cars on the cul-de-sac,” Bucci said. “You never know what you're going to get. There’s no background check.”

According to the city of Arlington, available data shows there are approximately 400 STRs within in the city. Presently, all of them are considered "illegal non-conforming use."

At Tuesday's packed Arlington City Council meeting, residents and business owners got a chance to weigh in on the city's proposed fix.

If approved by the council, an amendment to the city ordinance would create STRs as a recognized land use and designate it as a permitted temporary use in certain zoning districts. That includes a one-mile radius around the city's Entertainment District that is anchored by AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Park and Six Flags.

Matt Honeycutt, who lives two blocks away, is open to the city's proposal.

“I guess to each their own. I don’t know if that will affect us personally,” he said. “I wouldn't rent my house out for that, but we heard that it was probably coming and I don't have a specific opinion on it.”

The preliminary ordinance did pass with a vote of 6-3. A final vote will take place on April 23.